1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to single-serve permeable beverage filter.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
A known disposable permeable single-serve beverage filter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,431 (Salzburg) and 3,780,871 (Hicks). This filter is comprised of a water permeable disposable filter with an open top of thermoformed or pressed permeable paper, with indicia in the case of the first, and without indicia in the case of the second. This known permeable beverage filter is widely used, although it is not constructed for use in a single-serve filter cartridge.
The current beverage containers designed for single-serve brewing are sealed. The beverage containers have preselected and pre-measured product medium. The beverage container have preselected and pre-measured product medium. The alternative use of product medium is restricted to those choices provided to consumers. Furthermore, the cost of pre-measured product medium is higher generally than when an individual is permitted to select the type, amount and cost of product medium. Likewise, the use of plastic containers for the prepackaged product medium does not lend itself to biodegradable disposal.
In an effort to overcome the drawback of sealed, single serve beverage containers, the use of reusable filter baskets with single serve beverage brewers has been suggested. Such reusable filter baskets are positioned in a filter holder which in turn is positioned in the single serve beverage brewer. Prior to placing the filter basket in the filter housing, an individual fills the filter basket with a selected coffee. While the use of the reusable filter basket provides a much needed alternative to the prepackaged containers, problems are nevertheless encountered with use of the filter basket. The primary problem being that the filter basket is prone to clogging when fine grounds are utilized in the brewing process, thereby defeating the expediency and convenience of using a single serve brewer.
To this end, a need exists for a disposable beverage filter that overcomes the problems of prior art filters. It is to such a filter that the present invention is directed.